Aimpoint M4S VS T1 Red Dot Sights

[Killer Angel]

For those of you who have tried both the Aimpoint M4S and T1 Red Dot Sights,which of the two do you personally prefer?And why?Which has a better field of view,clearer red dot,and has quicker target acquisition?Which among the two also is more reliable and more rugged?
Thanks in advance.

[halmbarte]

M4 for rugged, T1 for tiny.

FOV is a wash for me. When actually shooting I don't see the body of either, just the dot and target.

H

[TactTeam]

T1 is a great little sight but I went with the M4 for my duty rifle. I know jumping out helos, armored cars, and such with hard use on the ground in CQB it is a little tougher and will stand up to the beating. I passed my issued M2 to a new operator coming on the team and I figured since I was forking out the cash for the optic I wanted to make sure it didn't break. T1 has been tested to a pretty high standard, though.

Also, at the time I liked the 30mm tube vs 25 mm tube since I have used it for years. I felt my eye didn't have to "hunt" quite as much on quick acquisition targets. I am told it doesn't take long at all to get used to the smaller T1, though.

The ones I have looked through, I noticed 0 difference in clarity or dot crispness.

[RogerinTPA]

Both are great optics but the M4s is the most bomb proof as far as ruggedness. It's also heavy compared to the micros, which I use on every carbine due to it's weight savings and it's associated ruggedness. Most have been looking for weight savings on their carbine and kit for a variety of practical reasons verses the other way around.

[ginzomatic]

For those of you who have tried both the Aimpoint M4S and T1 Red Dot Sights,which of the two do you personally prefer?And why?Which has a better field of view,clearer red dot,and has quicker target acquisition?Which among the two also is more reliable and more rugged?
Thanks in advance.


I've got the M4S on two of my rifles. A good friend of mine runs the t1 on his rifles and while it's a great little sight, I prefer the M4S for three pretty solid reasons-

1. It's beefy-er and tougher than the t1
2. The field of view is much larger (although he swears this is not an issue if you mount it correctly, i still prefer more glass). This also makes it easier (for me) to co-witness iron sights.
3. The battery. The t1 takes that 1/3 battery or whatever it is. AAs are much easier to find (especially if you're concerned at all about SHTF scenario)

The red dots are identical.

EDIT- The PRO takes the 1/3. T1 takes the CR.

[Breacher 217]

https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=137181

[Killer Angel]

How come that there are times that the red dot of either the T1 or M4S aren't well defined?They look somewhat mush and don't really look like dots?More like a small stain of red dirt.Is this normal?
Thanks.

[TactTeam]

How come that there are times that the red dot of either the T1 or M4S aren't well defined?They look somewhat mush and don't really look like dots?More like a small stain of red dirt.Is this normal?
Thanks.

Not sure if this is the same situation you are talking about, but this is a direct copy and past from aimpoint's FAQ's.

Personally, I have not run into the dot looking distorted.


*The dot in my Aimpoint sight doesn't look round. Is it defective?

If your dot does not appear to be perfectly round, the distortion is probably caused by the way that your eye perceives the dot, rather than by some mechanical defect. Due to differences in the lenses in different individuals' eyes, round objects that subtend areas near 3 minutes of angle may appear distorted in a variety of ways depending on the individual and other environmental influences. Inexpensive red dot sights sometimes have manufacturing defects that can cause the dot to be an odd shape.

A simple test that can be easily performed will allow you to determine the cause of the apparent distortion:
Turn the sight on and look through as you normally would. (This test is easiest when the sight is not mounted on a firearm, but can be performed with the sight mounted as well. Just make sure that the firearm is unloaded and pointed in a safe direction.)
While continuing to look through the sight, roll the sight on its optical axis.
If the dot's irregularities seem to revolve around the center of the dot like the spokes of a wheel, there is a mechanical defect causing the distortion.
If the dot does not roll with the sight, the distortion is caused in the way your eye perceives the dot. This is not to say that you don't have good vision. You can see clearly and still see a distortion in objects this small.

This effect is less pronounced in sights with larger dots. More people will see the dot in a sight with a 10 minute-of-angle dot as being perfectly round than will be able to see a 3 MOA dot as round.

[Killer Angel]

Not sure if this is the same situation you are talking about, but this is a direct copy and past from aimpoint's FAQ's.

Personally, I have not run into the dot looking distorted.


*The dot in my Aimpoint sight doesn't look round. Is it defective?

If your dot does not appear to be perfectly round, the distortion is probably caused by the way that your eye perceives the dot, rather than by some mechanical defect. Due to differences in the lenses in different individuals' eyes, round objects that subtend areas near 3 minutes of angle may appear distorted in a variety of ways depending on the individual and other environmental influences. Inexpensive red dot sights sometimes have manufacturing defects that can cause the dot to be an odd shape.

A simple test that can be easily performed will allow you to determine the cause of the apparent distortion:
Turn the sight on and look through as you normally would. (This test is easiest when the sight is not mounted on a firearm, but can be performed with the sight mounted as well. Just make sure that the firearm is unloaded and pointed in a safe direction.)
While continuing to look through the sight, roll the sight on its optical axis.
If the dot's irregularities seem to revolve around the center of the dot like the spokes of a wheel, there is a mechanical defect causing the distortion.
If the dot does not roll with the sight, the distortion is caused in the way your eye perceives the dot. This is not to say that you don't have good vision. You can see clearly and still see a distortion in objects this small.

This effect is less pronounced in sights with larger dots. More people will see the dot in a sight with a 10 minute-of-angle dot as being perfectly round than will be able to see a 3 MOA dot as round.


I think,to be more exact,it looks more like a little star more than a round dot.

[TactTeam]

I think,to be more exact,it looks more like a little star more than a round dot.

Ah, ok. Yes. I have seen that. My starburst gets more pronounced as I turn the brightness up. The Aimpoint's dot is reflected off the inside of the front glass. I attributed it to the reflection/light intinsity (brightness).

Kind of like when you are driving at night and you get starburst on windows and mirrors from headlights.

[SteveL]

You can also try to aim a camera through the Aimpoint and snap a picture of the dot. If it's round in the pic then it's your eyes that are the issue.

[Gutshot John]

How come that there are times that the red dot of either the T1 or M4S aren't well defined?They look somewhat mush and don't really look like dots?More like a small stain of red dirt.Is this normal?
Thanks.

It's an optical trick of your eyes, turn the sight brightness down. It's a fairly common complaint, though the problem lies with the user (sometimes astigmatism).

You can tell if it's a defect by rotating the optic as you look down the tube.

If the "mush" doesn't change, it's you, if the "mush" seems to rotate it's the optic.

[Alaskapopo]

For those of you who have tried both the Aimpoint M4S and T1 Red Dot Sights,which of the two do you personally prefer?And why?Which has a better field of view,clearer red dot,and has quicker target acquisition?Which among the two also is more reliable and more rugged?
Thanks in advance.

I prefer the T1. Have had both an the only practical difference is the T1 is 1/3 the weight and size. Less is more.
Pat

[MountainRaven]

Micro.

Didn't expect to like it as much as I do, but I don't think I'll really run anything else unless I don't have a choice.

And I did own an M4S previously. If I had to run a full-size RDS for whatever reason, the M4S would be it. But I'd still rather take the Micro.

[jerhelo]

For those of you who have tried both the Aimpoint M4S and T1 Red Dot Sights,which of the two do you personally prefer?And why?Which has a better field of view,clearer red dot,and has quicker target acquisition?Which among the two also is more reliable and more rugged?
Thanks in advance.

I have both, love both, and could flip a coin. If I could only have one and had to choose I would lean a little more to the M4s though. TANK. I got rid of my last EoTech a few months back when I got into a few arguments on here and have never looked back, love the aimpoint stuff. You can't go wrong with either though.